Dormancy timer adjustment in a wireless access node based on wireless device application status

ABSTRACT

A wireless communication device determines user interface activity initiated by a user application. The wireless communication device determines a timer setting based on the user interface activity initiated by the user application. The wireless communication device wirelessly transfers the timer setting to a wireless communication network. The wireless communication device exchanges wireless communications initiated by the user application with the wireless communication network. The wireless communication network uses a dormancy timer based on the user interface activity initiated by the user application.

RELATED CASES

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/074,198 that was filed on Mar. 29, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No.8,667,513 and that is entitled “DORMANCY TIMER ADJUSTMENT IN A WIRELESSACCESS NODE BASED ON WIRELESS DEVICE APPLICATION STATUS.” U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/074,198 is hereby incorporated by reference intothis patent application.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

A wireless access node that is used by wireless devices to communicatewith a wireless network has a limited amount of bandwidth to allocateamong connected wireless devices. This limited bandwidth is allocated byassigning a wireless access link (or channel) to each wireless devicethat needs to exchange communications. A dormancy timer in the accessnode tracks the amount of time since a wireless device last exchangedcommunications so that, when a certain amount of time has passed, theaccess node can release the access link for that device. Once released,the access link can be assigned to other wireless devices that need toexchange communications with the access node. Allowing the access linkto stay allocated to a wireless device for a time after communicationshave completed enables subsequent communications to be exchanged withoutthe need to reallocate an access link to the wireless device.

Many wireless devices are capable of executing applications that requirethe use of an access link for wireless communications. Sometimes theseapplications will run in the background where a user is not activelyinteracting with the application and sometimes they will run in theforeground where a user is actively interacting with the application.When a user is actively interacting with an application it is morelikely that an application will exchange subsequent communications overan access link than would an application running in the background.Thus, the user experience of an application running in the foregroundmay benefit from not needing to take the time necessary to have a newaccess link allocated to the wireless device in order to exchangesubsequent communications.

Overview

A wireless communication device determines user interface activityinitiated by a user application. The wireless communication devicedetermines a timer setting based on the user interface activityinitiated by the user application. The wireless communication devicewirelessly transfers the timer setting to a wireless communicationnetwork. The wireless communication device exchanges wirelesscommunications initiated by the user application with the wirelesscommunication network. The wireless communication network uses adormancy timer based on the user interface activity initiated by theuser application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication system for adjusting adormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wireless deviceapplication status.

FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of a wireless communication system foradjusting a dormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wirelessdevice application status.

FIG. 3 illustrates a wireless communication system for adjusting adormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wireless deviceapplication status.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of a wireless communication system foradjusting a dormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wirelessdevice application status.

FIG. 5 illustrates a wireless communication device for adjusting adormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wireless deviceapplication status.

FIG. 6 illustrates a wireless communication device for adjusting adormancy timer in a wireless access node based on wireless deviceapplication status.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and associated figures teach the best mode ofthe invention. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, someconventional aspects of the best mode may be simplified or omitted. Thefollowing claims specify the scope of the invention. Note that someaspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of the inventionas specified by the claims. Thus, those skilled in the art willappreciate variations from the best mode that fall within the scope ofthe invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that thefeatures described below can be combined in various ways to formmultiple variations of the invention. As a result, the invention is notlimited to the specific examples described below, but only by the claimsand their equivalents.

FIG. 1 illustrates wireless communication system 100. Wirelesscommunication system 100 includes wireless communication device 101,wireless access node 102, and wireless communication network 103.Wireless communication device 101 and wireless access node 102communicate over wireless link 111. Wireless access node 102 andwireless communication network 103 communicate over communication link112.

In operation, access node 102 has a limited amount of radio frequencyspectrum bandwidth that can be allocated among connected wirelessdevices. This limited amount of spectrum is divided among a number ofwireless access links. An access link is only assigned to wirelessdevice 101 when wireless device 101 needs an access link to exchangecommunications with access node 102. During periods of time whenwireless device 101 does not need to exchange communications, accessnode 102 does not assign an access link to wireless device 101 so thatthe access link can be assigned to other devices that do need toexchange communications with access node 102.

Access node 102 controls the allocation of access links among wirelessdevices by using a dormancy timer for each access link assigned to awireless device. In particular, a dormancy timer for wireless device 101keeps track of the amount of time that has elapsed since wireless device101 last exchanged communications over an assigned access link. Thedormancy timer is typically set to allow enough time for successivecommunications to be exchanged without wireless device 101 needing torequest another access link from access node 102. Once the dormancytimer indicates that the set amount of time has passed since wirelessdevice 101 last exchanged communications, access node 102 releases theaccess link from wireless device 101 so that the access link can beallocated to other devices that may need to exchange communications withaccess node 102.

FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of wireless communication system 100for adjusting a dormancy timer in a wireless access node based onwireless device application status. Wireless device 101 is a wirelessdevice, such as a cellular phone, laptop computer, or any other type ofwireless device that is capable of executing applications that requirewireless communications with wireless network 103 via access node 102.These applications may include web browsers, messaging, email, socialnetworking, Voice over Internet Protocol, streaming media, or any othertype of application capable of executing on a wireless device.

Wireless device 101 begins the operation by monitoring ApplicationProgramming Interface (API) calls from the applications for userinterface functions and monitoring the status of user interfacecomponents (step 200). The applications executing on wireless device 101make API calls to the operating system of wireless device 101 in orderto access the functions of wireless device 101. Moreover, API calls foruser interface functions include API calls that access input or outputfunctions of various user interfaces on wireless device 101, such as adisplay, speaker, keyboard, LED notifier, microphone, or any other typeof user input or output interface.

For example, if an application needs to show something on a display ofwireless device 101, then the application will call an API for a displayfunction of wireless device 101. Wireless device 101 may includemultiple user interfaces of a certain user interface type, such asmultiple displays or microphones, with each of these multiple userinterfaces having separate APIs. Additionally, there may be multipleAPIs for each individual user interface. For example, one API may becalled to show a notification on a display while a second API may becalled for the display to display an application full screen.

The user interface components may be monitored selectively or wirelessdevice 101 may monitor all user interface components of wireless device101. For example, wireless device 101 may monitor the status of only theuser interface components that are subject to API calls by theapplications or wireless device 101 may monitor all user interfacecomponents in order to know the current state of all components. Thestatus of the user interface components includes any type of statusinformation, such as display on/off state, display brightness, speakeron/off state, speaker volume, keyboard slide out state (for a slide outkeyboard), keypad lock, or any other type of status information for userinterface components.

The API calls for the user interface functions and the status of theuser interface components are processed to set a dormancy timerthreshold (step 202). If there is no API call to a user interfacefunction, then the dormancy timer threshold is set to a lower value.Likewise, if there is an API call to a user interface function but thestatus of the user interface components that are called by the API isset to off, then the dormancy timer threshold is also set to a lowervalue. The off state may include a state where the user interfacecomponents are not in use. For example, while speakers of wirelessdevice 101 may still be technically on, the volume setting on wirelessdevice 101 may be turned all the way down or muted. In a similarexample, a keyboard for wireless device 101 may still be considered tobe on but is in a closed position so as it would not or could not beused.

The threshold is set to a lowered value because the application isdetermined to be running in the background on wireless device 101. Thisdetermination is due to the lack of user interface API calls indicatesthat the user is not interacting with the application. Therefore, ashorter dormancy timer threshold is desirable because the userexperience does not suffer as much if a background application needs awireless link reallocated for subsequent communication exchanges withwireless access node 102. Similarly, it is typically the case thatapplications running in the background need to exchange communicationsless frequently than those running in the foreground, thereby, reducingthe need for continued allocation of an access link for subsequentcommunications.

Alternatively, if there is an API call to a user interface function andthe user interface component associated the call has a status set to on,then the application is considered to be running in the foreground.Consequently, the dormancy timer threshold is increased to a highervalue than would otherwise be set had the application been running inthe background. For example, the dormancy timer threshold may beincreased to 10 seconds for an application running in the foreground asopposed to 1 second, or possibly even zero seconds, for an applicationrunning in the background.

The threshold is set to a higher value because the application isdetermined to be running in the foreground on wireless device 101. Thisdetermination is due to the user interface API calls being directed to auser interface component that has a status of currently being active oron, which indicates that the user is more likely to be interacting withthe application. Therefore, a longer dormancy timer threshold isdesirable because it is more likely that the application will exchangesubsequent communications that require an access link. The userexperience is be less likely to suffer if wireless device 101 is able tohold on to the access link assigned to wireless device 101 for a longerperiod of time so that any subsequent communications do not need torequest a new access link from access node 102.

In some embodiments, wireless device 101 may not determine whether theuser interface component that is called by the API is active. In thoseembodiments, an application is considered to be running in theforeground in the event of an API call to a user interface functionwithout the need to determine the status of the user interface componentthat is called.

In some embodiments, both foreground and background applications may beexecuting on wireless device 101. In those embodiments, the increaseddormancy timer threshold set for any foreground applications overcomesthe shorter dormancy timer threshold that would otherwise be set for anybackground applications.

After wireless device 101 has determined the dormancy timer threshold,wireless device 101 transfers the dormancy timer threshold to accessnode 102 on wireless network 103 (step 204). The dormancy timerthreshold may be transmitted to access node 102 in a message over theaccess link or over a control channel for control communications betweenwireless device 101 and access node 102. Furthermore, a probe used bywireless device 101 to determine whether an access link is currentlyactive for wireless device 101 may contain the message indicating thedormancy timer threshold.

Access node 102 in turn releases a wireless access link assigned towireless device 101 if a dormancy timer for wireless device 101 reachesthe dormancy timer threshold (step 206). If the dormancy timer counts upthe amount of time elapsed since the last communications were exchangedbetween access node 102 and wireless device 101, then access node 102will release the access link for wireless device 101 when the dormancytimer counts up to the dormancy timer threshold. Hence, if the dormancytimer threshold is 10 seconds then the dormancy timer will count from 0up to 10 seconds before releasing the access link. Alternatively, thedormancy timer may count down from the last time communications wereexchanged between access node 102 and wireless device 101. In that case,the dormancy timer threshold may indicate the value from which thedormancy timer counts. Thus, if the timer is set for 10 seconds, thenthe dormancy timer will start at 10 seconds after the lastcommunications were exchanged and count down to zero before releasingthe access channel.

In both dormancy timer examples from above, if subsequent communicationsare exchanged on the access link before the dormancy timer reaches thedormancy timer threshold, then the dormancy timer may be reset. Thedormancy timer threshold may be a different value than it was set topreviously depending on whether the application that exchanged thosesubsequent communications was running in the background or in theforeground. If the subsequent communications were for a backgroundapplication, then the dormancy timer should be reset only if thedormancy timer threshold would allow a greater amount of time beforeaccess link release than what the dormancy timer is currentlyindicating. This prevents a longer dormancy timer for a runningforeground application from being negated by a shorter dormancy timerdue to the subsequent communications exchanged by a backgroundapplication. It follows, therefore, that subsequent communications froma foreground application will always reset the dormancy timer becausethe dormancy timer threshold is longest for foreground applications.

In view of the above examples, it follows that while an application maybe considered to be running in the foreground or background based ontraditional conceptions, wireless device 101 may not make the samedetermination based on the method set forth herein. For example, a musicstreaming application may continue to stream music from a server andplay that music out of a speaker of wireless device 101 while a userinteracts with other applications on wireless device 101. Traditionally,the music streaming application may be considered to be running in thebackground. However, consistent with the method above, the musicstreaming application is considered to be running in the foreground forpurposes of a dormancy timer threshold because the application iscalling an API for a speaker user interface.

Referring back to FIG. 1, wireless communication device 101 comprisesRadio Frequency (RF) communication circuitry and an antenna. The RFcommunication circuitry typically includes an amplifier, filter,modulator, and signal processing circuitry. Wireless communicationdevice 101 may also include a user interface, memory device, software,processing circuitry, or some other communication components. Wirelesscommunication device 101 may be a telephone, computer, e-book, mobileInternet appliance, wireless network interface card, media player, gameconsole, or some other wireless communication apparatus—includingcombinations thereof.

Wireless access node 102 comprises RF communication circuitry and anantenna. The RF communication circuitry typically includes an amplifier,filter, RF modulator, and signal processing circuitry. Wireless accessnode 102 may also comprise a router, server, memory device, software,processing circuitry, cabling, power supply, network communicationinterface, structural support, or some other communication apparatus.Wireless access node 102 could be a base station, Internet access node,telephony service node, wireless data access point, or some otherwireless communication system—including combinations thereof.

Wireless communication network 103 comprises network elements thatprovide wireless devices with wireless communication access to packetcommunication services. Wireless network 103 may comprise switches,wireless access nodes, Internet routers, network gateways, applicationservers, computer systems, communication links, or some other type ofcommunication equipment—including combinations thereof.

Wireless link 111 uses the air or space as the transport media. Wirelesslink 111 may use various protocols, such as Code Division MultipleAccess (CDMA), Evolution Data Only (EVDO), Worldwide Interoperabilityfor Microwave Access (WIMAX), Global System for Mobile Communication(GSM), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Wireless Fidelity (WIFI), High SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), or some other wireless communication format.Communication link 112 uses metal, glass, air, space, or some othermaterial as the transport media. Communication link 112 could usevarious communication protocols, such as Time Division Multiplex (TDM),Internet Protocol (IP), Ethernet, communication signaling, CDMA, EVDO,WIMAX, GSM, LTE, WIFI, HSPA, or some other communicationformat—including combinations thereof. Communication link 112 could be adirect link or may include intermediate networks, systems, or devices.

FIG. 3 illustrates wireless communication system 300. Wirelesscommunication system 300 includes wireless communication device 301,wireless base station 302, network gateway 303, message server 304, andweb server 305. Messaging application 306 and web browser application307 are executing on wireless device 301. Wireless communication device301 and base station 302 communicate over wireless link 311. Basestation 302 and network gateway 303 communicate over communication link312. Network gateway 303 and message server 304 communicate overcommunication link 313. Network gateway 303 and web server 305communication over communication link 314.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of wireless communication system 300for adjusting a dormancy timer in base station 302 based on wirelessdevice 301 application status. In operation, wireless device 301executes messaging application 306 and web browsing application 307.Messaging application 306 may exchange any type of messages, such asSMS, MMS, email, Instant Messaging, or some other type of messagethrough messaging server 304. Messaging server 304 may be located on theInternet, a wireless network that base station 302 is a part of, or anyother network or computer system capable of communicating with networkgateway 303. Web browser 307 receives websites for displaying to a userof wireless device 301 via web server 305, which may be located on theInternet.

Wireless device 301 continually monitors API calls for user interfacefunctions made by messaging application 306, web browser 307, and anyother applications executing on wireless device 301. The API calls forthe user interface functions are related to user interface components ofwireless device 301. For example, a music player application may use anAPI call to the speaker to play music, an API call to the display toshow what song is playing, and an API call to a keyboard or touch screenso that a user can indicate a desired song to play. Likewise, webbrowser 307 may make an API call to a display to display a web page andan API call to a keyboard or touch screen to receive a web address.

FIG. 5 illustrates wireless device 301 with user interface components towhich the user interface API calls may be directed. In this example,wireless device 301 includes camera 501, speaker 502, microphone 503,keyboard 504, and display 505. Wireless device 301 may omit one or moreof these components or include further components, such as a secondspeaker, second camera, notifier LED, or any other type of userinterface component.

Referring back to FIG. 4, web browser 307 requests access linkcommunications so that web browser 307 can retrieve a web page from webserver 305 to display to a user on display 505. Wireless device 301recognizes that web browser 307 is requesting access link communicationson the access link with base station 302 (step 400). Wireless device 301then determines whether web browser 307 made an API call to any of userinterfaces 501-505 (step 402). This determination may be made bydetermining whether any user interface API calls were performed within acertain time period before or after the request for access linkcommunications, for example an API call occurring within one second ofthe access link communication request.

In this example, web browser had made an API call to present anapplication interface for web browser 307 on display 505 before theaccess request. Therefore, the process moves to step 404 where wirelessdevice 101 determines whether display 505 is active to carry out the APIcall request. If display 505 is not active, then web browser 307 isdetermined to be running in the background. Since web browser 307 isrunning in the background, wireless device 301 sets a bit in a probethat determines whether there is an access link (or requests an accesslink if there is none) that indicates that the dormancy timer for theaccess link should be set for a short period of time, such as one second(step 408). In contrast, if display 305 is active at step 404, then webbrowser 307 is determined to be running in the foreground. Hence,wireless device 301 sets a bit in the probe that indicates that thedormancy timer for the access link should be set for a longer period oftime, such as ten seconds (step 410).

In another example, returning to step 400, messaging application 306requests access link communications so that messaging application 306can retrieve messages from messaging server 304. Wireless device 301recognizes that messaging application 306 is requesting access linkcommunications on the access link with base station 302 (step 400).Wireless device 301 then determines whether messaging application 306made an API call to any of user interfaces 501-505 (step 402). Thisdetermination, as before with web browser 307, may be made bydetermining whether any user interface API calls were performed within acertain time period before or after the request for access linkcommunications, for example an API call occurring within one second ofthe access link communication request.

In this example, messaging application called an API for displaying anotification in the upper left hand corner of display 505 and alsocalled an API for playing a notification sound through speaker 502.However, in step 402, wireless device 301 determines that the API callsfor notifications of this type are not API calls that would indicatethat an application is running in the foreground. Therefore, wirelessdevice 301 determines that messaging application 306 is running in thebackground and sets a bit in the probe that indicates that the dormancytimer for the access link should be set for a short period of time (step406).

In both examples from above, after the most recent communicationexchange between wireless device 301 and base station 302 on the accesslink, base station 302 starts a dormancy timer in accordance with thebit from the probe transferred from wireless device 301. Unlesssubsequent communications are exchanged on the access link that resetthe dormancy timer, the dormancy timer will expire (step 412). Once thedormancy timer expires, base station 302 releases the access linkassigned to wireless device 301 so that the access link can be assignedto other wireless devices (step 414).

FIG. 6 illustrates wireless communication device 600. Wirelesscommunication device 600 is an example of wireless communication devices101 and 301, although devices 101 and 301 could use alternativeconfigurations. Wireless communication device 600 comprises wirelesscommunication interface 601, user interface 602, and processing system603. Processing system 603 is linked to wireless communication interface601 and user interface 602. Processing system 603 includes processingcircuitry 605 and memory device 606 that stores operating software 607.Wireless communication device 601 may include other well-knowncomponents such as a battery and enclosure that are not shown forclarity. Wireless communication device 600 may be a telephone, computer,e-book, mobile Internet appliance, media player, game console, wirelessnetwork interface card, or some other wireless communicationapparatus—including combinations thereof.

Wireless communication interface 601 comprises RF communicationcircuitry and an antenna. The RF communication circuitry typicallyincludes an amplifier, filter, RF modulator, and signal processingcircuitry. Wireless communication interface 601 may also include amemory device, software, processing circuitry, or some othercommunication device. Wireless communication interface 601 may usevarious protocols, such as CDMA, EVDO, WIMAX, GSM, LTE, WIFI, HSPA, orsome other wireless communication format.

Wireless communication interface is configured to transfer a dormancytimer threshold to a wireless communication network that releases awireless link to wireless communication device 600 if a dormancy timerfor wireless communication device 600 reaches the dormancy timerthreshold.

User interface 602 comprises components that interact with a user toreceive user inputs and to present media and/or information. Userinterface 602 may include a speaker, microphone, buttons, lights,display screen, touch screen, touch pad, scroll wheel, communicationport, or some other user input/output apparatus—including combinationsthereof. User interface 602 may omitted in some examples.

Processing circuitry 605 comprises microprocessor and other circuitrythat retrieves and executes operating software 607 from memory device606. Memory device 606 comprises a non-transitory storage medium, suchas a disk drive, flash drive, data storage circuitry, or some othermemory apparatus. Processing circuitry 605 is typically mounted on acircuit board that may also hold memory device 606 and portions ofcommunication interface 601 and user interface 602. Operating software607 comprises computer programs, firmware, or some other form ofmachine-readable processing instructions. Operating software 607includes monitor module 608 and dormancy timer threshold module 609.Operating software 607 may further include an operating system,utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other typeof software. When executed by processing circuitry 605, operatingsoftware 607 directs processing system 603 to operate wirelesscommunication device 600 as described herein.

In particular, monitor module 608 of operating software 607 directsprocessing system 603 to monitor API calls from applications executingon processing system 603 for user interface functions and monitor statusof user interface components of user interface 602. Dormancy timerthreshold module 609 then directs processing system 603 to process theAPI calls for the user interface functions and the status of the userinterface components to set a dormancy timer threshold.

The above description and associated figures teach the best mode of theinvention. The following claims specify the scope of the invention. Notethat some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of theinvention as specified by the claims. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the features described above can be combined in variousways to form multiple variations of the invention. As a result, theinvention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above,but only by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a wireless communicationdevice, the method comprising: determining user interface activityinitiated by a user application; determining a timer setting based onthe user interface activity initiated by the user application;wirelessly transferring the timer setting to a wireless communicationnetwork; and exchanging wireless communications initiated by the userapplication with the wireless communication network, wherein thewireless communication network uses the timer setting to set a dormancytimer based on the user interface activity initiated by the userapplication, wherein the dormancy timer controls release of a wirelessaccess link between the wireless communication network and the wirelesscommunication device; wherein determining the timer setting based on theuser interface activity comprises selecting the timer setting to reducethe dormancy timer in response to a level of user interface activitybelow a threshold.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining thetimer setting based on the user interface activity comprises selectingthe timer setting to reduce the dormancy timer to zero in response to alevel of user interface activity below a threshold.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 wherein determining the timer setting based on the userinterface activity comprises selecting the timer setting to reduce thedormancy timer if the user interface activity indicates the userapplication is running in a background.
 4. The method of claim 1 whereindetermining the timer setting based on the user interface activitycomprises selecting the timer setting to increase the dormancy timer inresponse to a level of user interface activity above a threshold.
 5. Themethod of claim 1 wherein determining the timer setting based on theuser interface activity comprises selecting the timer setting toincrease the dormancy timer if the user interface activity indicates theuser application is running in a foreground.
 6. The method of claim 1wherein the user interface activity comprises audio component usage. 7.The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface activity comprisesvideo component usage.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the wirelesscommunications comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication network uses thedormancy timer to terminate a communication channel to the wirelesscommunication device.
 10. A wireless communication device comprising: aprocessor, a processing system configured to determine user interfaceactivity initiated by a user application and determine a timer settingbased on the user interface activity initiated by the user application;and a communication interface configured to wirelessly transfer thetimer setting to a wireless communication network and to exchangewireless communications initiated by the user application with thewireless communication network, wherein the wireless communicationnetwork uses the timer setting to set a dormancy timer based on the userinterface activity initiated by the user application, and wherein thedormancy timer controls release of a wireless access link between thewireless communication network and the wireless communication device;wherein determining the timer setting based on the user interfaceactivity comprises selecting the timer setting to reduce the dormancytimer in response to a level of user interface activity below athreshold.
 11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 wherein theprocessing system is configured to select the timer setting to reducethe dormancy timer in response to a level of user interface activitybelow a threshold.
 12. The wireless communication device of claim 10wherein the processing system is configured to select the timer settingto reduce the dormancy timer to zero in response to a level of userinterface activity below a threshold.
 13. The wireless communicationdevice of claim 10 wherein the processing system is configured to selectthe timer setting to reduce the dormancy timer if the user interfaceactivity indicates the user application is running in a background. 14.The wireless communication device of claim 10 wherein the processingsystem is configured to select the timer setting to increase thedormancy timer in response to a level of user interface activity above athreshold.
 15. The wireless communication device of claim 10 wherein theprocessing system is configured to select the timer setting to increasethe dormancy timer if the user interface activity indicates the userapplication is running in a foreground.
 16. The wireless communicationdevice of claim 10 wherein the user interface activity comprises audiocomponent usage.
 17. The wireless communication device of claim 10wherein the user interface activity comprises video component usage. 18.The wireless communication device of claim 10 wherein the wirelesscommunications comprise Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications. 19.The wireless communication device of claim 10 wherein the wirelesscommunication network uses the dormancy timer to terminate acommunication channel to the wireless communication device.